Cigar-vending machine.



Patented Dec. 8, 1914.

'rnp s'ra'rns PATENT onricn.

CLEMENT HUGHES, OF LEWISTOWN, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF '10 L. I. LACKY, OF LEWISTOWN, ILLINOIS.

CIGAR-VENDING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 8, 1914.

Application filed February 3, 1914. Serial No. 816,259.

The object of the invention is to providea simple, practical andinexpensive machine of this character which will deliver the cigars one at a time without injury to them and which will permit the delivery of the cigars from the original container or cigar box bearing the internal revenue stamp, the latter being exposed to view and being kept intact until the box is emptied.

lVith the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings :Figure 1 is a vertical front rear sectional view through a cigar vending machine embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a top plan view, the cigar box retaining frame being removed; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the cigar box retaining frame; Fig. 4 is a sectional perspective view showing one half of the cigar feeding reel; and Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 denotes a suitable casing preferably but not necessarily made of rectangular form and of metal, its upper portion forming a hopper 2 for the cigars C which feed into the same by gravity from the original container or cigar box B. Thecigars in the hopper 2 are exposed to view through a glass or other transparent top 3 including a cross bar 4} arranged at the rear of the easing. The bottom of the hopper 2 is formed by downwardly and inwardly inclined feed plates 5, 6 and two spaced semi-cylindrical plates 7, the outer ends of which have flanges 8 suitably secured to the side walls of the casing 1. The inner ends of the semicylindrical plates 7 are spaced apart to form a slit 9 through which works the radiating arms 10 of a spider 11 which latter has its hub fixed centrally on a transverse shaft 13 journaled in bearings in the side walls of the casing. The spider 11 is preferably cast in one piece and suitably secured to the ends of its radiating arms 10 are blades 14 arranged in an angular row so that they will travel over the curved upper faces of the plates 7 and form in conjunction with the latter pockets of sufficient size to receive a single cigar. As this rotary feeding member or reel composed of the spider with its blades 14 rotates in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1, it will pick up the cigars from the rear inclined plate 6 and feed them over the curved plates 7 and under the front plate 5 which latter has formed on its inner edge an are shaped guiding flange 15 which is concentric with the axis of the shaft 13 as are also the curved plates 7, see Fig. 1. The lower edge of the guide 15 terminates above the lower edges of the plates 7 so that the cigars will be deposited on a downwardly forwardly inclined chute 16 arranged opposite a discharge opening in the front wall of the casing so that the cigars will be deposited on a delivery cup 17 from which they may be readily removed.

The upper rear edge of the casing 1 is left i open for the reception of the cigar box B the end of which latter is removed so that the cigars may feed by gravity to the plate 6. The box is fastened in its downwardly and forwardly inclined position shown in Fig. 1 by a skeleton frame 18 shown more clearly in Fig. 3 and composed of four angle metal side bars 19 united by front cross bars 2021 and rear angle metal cross bars 22. The bars 19 are also united by angle metal corner bars 23 and connecting bars 24: so that this skeleton frame surrounds the box B and has one end open to permit the box to be slid into it. When the box is in position it will be noted that all parts of its exterior sides and ends will be exposed so that the internal revenue stamp, the Govof their front ehds which latter enter under the cross bar 4 so that the front edge of the bar 20 bears against the bar 4: when the frame is in position. A suitable fastening, preferably a clasp is arranged on the bars .4, 20 and as shown the eye or staple member 28 is fastened to the center of the,bar 20 while the clasp 29 is fastened to the center :of the bar 1. A padlock 30 is employed as shown to retain the frame 18 and hence the box B in position so that unauthorized persons cannot disturb the same. In order to prevent the box B from slipping downwardly in the frame angle metal stops 31 are'provided on the inner faces of the side walls and against which the edges of the open end of the box B rest, see Figs. 1 and 2.

The shaft 13 may be operated inany desired manner but I preferably employ a suitable ratchet mechanism for intermittently moving the shaft step by step to rotate the feeding reel so that one cigar is delivered at a time. This operating mechanism is arranged in. a suitable casing 32 formed or secured to one side wall ofthe casing 1 and,

to permit access to the mechanism a slidable cover 33 covers the side of the casing 32 and is fastened in position by a suitable lock-34 see Fig. 2. An operating lever for this feed mechanism' is shown at 35 and works through a longitudinal slot 36 formed in vthe top of the casing 32 and arranged adjacent a coin receiving slot 37.

The operating mechanism is of course normally locked and is released by the proper coin when deposited in the slot 37 as .is common with vending machines. The coins after serving their purpose, drop into the bottom of the casing 32 which latter is in communication with the bottom of the main casing 1' through an opening 38 shown in Fig. 1, so that the coins accumulating in the former casing may pass overinto the latter which is more spacious. The money is removed from time to time removing the padlock 32 and sliding the cover 33 longitudinally in a forward direction a suitable handle 39 being provided for this purpose.

7 From the foregoing it will be noted that by constructing the casing and the box supportingframeor cage as set forth,'the original container or cigar box will be effectively blad ccentric with said are shaped plates,

supported so that its exterior will be exposed to view and its seals, stamps or' other identifying marks may be left intact while the cigars will be passed freely from the box into the hopper where they are 'exposed to the view of the purchaser; In the hopper they will be separated and fed individually to the delivery cup without injury to them and with regularity. I It will be further noted that the vending .or delivery mechanism is simple in construction and hence may be produced at a small cost and it has been found practical and effective in operation. 1

Having thus described my invention, what I I claim as new is:

1. A machine of the character setforth comprising acasing having in its upper portion a hopper including an inclined feed plate and stationary, longitudinally spaced are shaped plates, a shaft journaled concentric with said are shaped plates, a spider fixed to the shaft and projecting through the space between said plates, blades fixed centrally to'the outer ends-of said arms and adapted to pass around said plates and means for receiving the merchandise discharged from the hopper by the fastening 2. A machine of the character set forth comprising a .casing having in its upper portion a hopper including an inclined feed plate and stationary, longitudinally spaced are shaped plates, a shaft journaled cona. spider fixed to' the shaft and projecting through the space between said plates, blades fixed to the outer ends of said arms and adapted to pass around said plates, a second inclined plate inclined in the opposite direction to the first mentioned inclined plate and having a curved depending guide flange spaced from saidarc shaped'plates and concentric with the axis of the shaft, 2. downwardly inclined chute spaced below said curved flange, a delivery cup on the exterior of the casing and arranged below said chute, both chute and cup being opposite and pening in'the casing, and means fordetachably securing tothe upper portion of the casing, a merchandise container to discharge merchandise upon the first mentioned inclined plate.

3. A machine of the character described comprising a casing having a merchandise the upper cross bar being spaced from the extremities of the side barsto permit said extremities to engage under the upper edge of the opening its open end by,

1,1eo,eoo

in the casing, a depending lip upon the lower In testimony whereof I have hereunto set cross bar to enter the slot in said flange, my hand in presence of two subscribing wita. fastening device connecting the upper nesses.

cross bar with the top of the casing, and CLEMENT L. HUGHES. 5 stops carried by the casing to engage the Witnesses:

open end of the merchandise container when J. W. GRIEBBAUEB,

the latter is in the skeleton frame G. W. GIOVANNE'I'II. 

